


need a little sweetness in my life

by scagnetism



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, M/M, and i say that about everything i write i know but this is genuinely ridiculous, and this fic doesn't really take place anywhere? maybe just at a panera in the void or something, anyway it's short and fluffy, i guess?, louis works at panera, my specialty, this is??? ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 12:14:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7891927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scagnetism/pseuds/scagnetism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can I get you anything else?”</p><p>“Um.”  Louis watches as his eyes scan over the board again, looking so unfairly, beautifully emerald like a lush forest.  “I guess throw in the monster nut.”</p><p>Louis bites his lip, and he knows he shouldn’t, knows it’s not professional, but he replies, “Oi, I don’t know you very well, but I do get done in...”  He glances at the clock on the wall.  “Fourteen minutes if you’re really interested.”</p><p>Or, the one where Panera has a very unfortunate name for their new cookie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	need a little sweetness in my life

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, I guess this can be blamed on [Ivana](http://donnysoldier.tumblr.com)? This fic is based off [this](http://ptsdhamlet.tumblr.com/post/149243863340/panera-bread-now-sells-a-gluten-conscious-monster) tumblr post that was absolutely begging to be turned into some sort of Larry AU so...here it is.
> 
> As always, shout out to my fave fic cheerleader, Katelyn (who wanted me to name this fic "you put the lime in the monster nut") <3
> 
> Title from Sugar by Maroon5.

Louis’ shift ends in 23 minutes.

Louis can leave in 23 minutes.

It’s not that he _minds_ working at Panera, but it’s just that he’s been here since seven this morning and has dealt with the breakfast rush and the lunch rush – which is now tapering off, thankfully – and he’s used to the afternoon shifts, and he just wants to go home and nap.  He can leave at one, right before the other lunch rush comes through, business men and women in suits with briefcases who order salads and iced coffees and clack away on their laptops.

He adjusts the cookies in the display case, rolling his eyes once he catches sight of the sign that reads “Try our new gluten-free Monster Cookie with Nuts!”  He and Niall have a tally running in the back room of all the people who have asked for the “monster nut” without realizing what they’ve said.  The number is embarrassingly high by now, and Louis doesn’t know if he’s ashamed or pleased with humanity.  Louis is good at not laughing right in their faces, but Niall always ends up cackling, never wanting to explain why after he does.

He arranges the cookies, fixes the bread, then looks at the clock again.  21 minutes.

There’s a dull chatter floating through the cafe, uni students flipping through their books in between bites of their sandwiches.  He leans back against the counter, the ticking of the clock seeming to get louder and louder the closer it gets to the end of his shift.

He’s rearranging the bagels – and can leave in 18 minutes – when a beautiful boy with long, chocolate curls walks in, pushing his sunglasses up into his hair like a headband.  He’s in skin tight jeans with rips at the knees and a flowered button down that’s undone to the top of his stomach, revealing a few tattoos.  He smiles as he heads to the counter, a quick glance at Louis before looking up at the menu boards, and god, the only thought on Louis’ mind – aside from how gorgeous this boy is – is how much he wished he’d actually done something with his hair before rolling out of bed this morning.

He fixes his fringe the best he can with the stupid visor that’s a part of his uniform blocking the way, then looks back at the boy standing in front of him.  His hands are behind his back as his green eyes sparkle in the light, and Louis fleetingly wonders if he’s even real.

Taking him out of his reverie, the boy clears his throat.  “Um, hi,” he says, voice raspier and deeper than Louis thought would come out of someone who looks like a delicate spring flower.

“Hi,” Louis answers with a slight smile, and it feels strangely intimate for reasons he can’t explain.

“Um, I’ll have a lemonade, please, and a Thai salad with dressing on the side.”

“That salad’s my favorite,” Louis murmurs as he types it in on the screen, though he’s not sure why he says it.  He looks up and the boy’s smiling, deep dimples carving into his cheeks. 

“’Ve picked a good one then,” he answers earnestly, sounding pleased.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“Um.”  Louis watches as his eyes scan over the board again, looking so unfairly, beautifully emerald like a lush forest.  “I guess throw in the monster nut.”

Louis bites his lip, and he knows he shouldn’t, knows it’s not professional, but he replies, “Oi, I don’t know you very well, but I do get done in...”  He glances at the clock on the wall.  “Fourteen minutes if you’re really interested.”

The boy’s brows furrow, face scrunching in confusion.  There’s a beat of silence before he finally speaks.  “What are you talking ab – OH!” he exclaims when it clicks, eyes widening, and Louis can’t help but giggle.  “No, it’s just, no, the cookie – that’s what it’s calle – ”

“Relax, Curly,” Louis chimes in with a laugh, shaking his head gently.  “I know.  Just poking a little fun, yeah?  You’re not the first one to say that.”

He lets out a breath and a low chuckle of his own.  “Bet you say that to everyone, then.”

Louis contemplates it for a moment, but decides to continue to flirt.  “Nah, only to the most beautiful boys.”

The boy looks down at the floor, smiling bashfully at his shoes while his hair falls into his face.  He quickly tucks a few unruly strands behind his ear before he recovers.  “Who named that?” he asks, and Louis is only slightly disappointed he’s trying to change the subject.  “‘S like.  Not the best idea.”

“Tell me about it,” Louis replies with a roll of his eyes as he plucks the cookie from the case.  “Someone needs to tell the people at corporate that that’s not what the kids mean by monster nut these days.”

The boy lets out a brilliant cackle, putting his hand over his mouth to stop the sound.  His eyes are alight as he replies, “’S memorable, though, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons.”

Louis smiles with a shrug as he tucks the cookie into the bag.  “Here, this monster nut’s on me.”

He laughs, cheeks dusted with a light shade of pink that almost matches the rosy color of his lips.  “Oh, I’d split it with you but I don’t usually monster nut on the first date.”

It’s Louis’ turn to let out a laugh, loud and bright, as he’s taken by surprise.  Dimpled boy is grinning at him, looking rather pleased with himself.  “Cheeky,” Louis tells him, and he shrugs, breaking off a piece of the cookie and popping it into his mouth.  He slides the boy a buzzer, asking, “What name should I put on the order?”

“Harry,” he answers, swiping his card easily, and the name fits him, Louis thinks, as he processes the order and hands Harry his receipt.

“When your buzzer goes off, you can pick up your food down there,” Louis tells him, pointing further down the counter, and Harry nods.  He knows it’s stupid, but he wants to find a reason to keep him at the counter, a reason to still talk to him.  He can’t think of anything to say, though, so he offers him a smile, feeling pathetic that he can’t come up with something else to talk about with this gorgeous boy.

“Thanks, um, for the cookie,” Harry answers almost shyly, holding it up slightly and giving Louis a wave before strutting off.

Once Harry is fully out of his line of sight, Louis looks up at the clock.  He can leave in exactly ten minutes, and you know what?  “Fuck it,” he mumbles to himself, heading into the back and pulling off his apron and visor.  The person taking over his shift will be there any minute, and he’s got a cute boy who didn’t order his meal to go that he’s gotta ask out.  That’s way more important right now.

He goes into the staff bathroom, brushing off his clothes and running his fingers through his fringe a few times until he gets it to his liking.  It isn’t perfect, but he supposes it doesn’t have to be when Harry’s already seen him in his dorky work clothes. 

When he exits, Niall, who was on salad and sandwich making duty today, gives him a smile.  “I’ll clock ya out when it’s time,” he laughs, patting Louis’ back, and Louis is so thankful for his friend.  “I saw ya makin’ heart eyes at that boy over there!  He’s just your type, huh?”

Louis rolls his eyes lovingly as he shoves Niall’s shoulder gently with a shake of his head.  “Thanks, mate,” he replies, trying to look over his shoulder to see if he can spot where Harry’s sitting.

 “Go get your prince!” Niall says, making butterflies take flight in Louis’ stomach, but before he can think about the nice sentiment for too long, Niall tacks on, “And don’t come back ‘til you monster nut!”

Louis wrinkles his nose at that, flipping Niall off, and that only earns him a delighted guffaw.  “You’re a real romantic, Horan,” he tells him sarcastically, and he heads out in the restaurant before he can be granted with a response.

It only takes a moment for Louis to spot Harry once he’s standing by the counter again.  He’s sitting at a booth scrolling through his phone, beautiful curls making him easily visible.  Louis takes in a deep breath as he walks up to the table, leaning down as he says softly, “Y’know, I wasn’t lying when I said my shift ended soon, so if you’re up for it...”

Harry looks up at him like a startled deer, and when he realizes who it is, he lets out a laugh and puts his phone down on the table.  “Mm, tempting, but not until we go on a proper date.”

“Was that an invitation?” Louis asks, and Harry shrugs, lips curling up into a smile as he looks down at his salad.  He slides into the opposite side of the booth and considers it a win when Harry doesn’t tell him to leave.  “If it was an invitation, I would say that if you’re not busy tomorrow, there’s a very nice Italian restaurant a few blocks down, and I’d love to have dinner with you.”  Louis doesn’t think he’s ever been this forward in his entire twenty four years of life, but when Harry makes eye contact with him, nodding as he grins, he thinks it’s well worth it.

Harry lets out a shaky little breath like he’s a bit nervous, and god, bless his heart.  “Yeah, I actually am free tomorrow, _and_ I love Italian,” he answers with a grin, sliding his phone across the table to Louis.  “’Ve gotta have your number if we’re going to make plans, don’t I?”  He winks, and Louis chuckles as he picks up his baby pink phone and starts adding in his contact info.

“Very smooth.”  Harry just shrugs, taking a bite of salad.

After typing in his number, Louis contemplates for a moment what emojis to use.  Harry’s recently used are a strange collection – the peace sign, the prawn, the bow, and the baby bottle just to name a few – and he decides there’s nothing there for him.  His usual choice is the sunglasses emoji, but that somehow seems impersonal in a situation like this.  Chuckling to himself when the perfect idea hits him, he scrolls through the emojis and adds the demon face as well as the – well, it looks like a nut, so, it probably is one, right?  Louis decides it serves its purpose and hands the phone back to Harry.

He looks down and nearly spits out his drink when he realizes, and he shakes his head saying, “Monster nut.”

“Just a little reminder so you remember who I am,” Louis replies, and Harry giggles into his hand – actually giggles, and is it too soon for Louis to be in love? – as he shakes his head.

“Like I’d ever be able to forget you.”

They share a smile, and Louis thinks this is probably what it feels like when your heart takes flight.  Harry sends him a quick smiley face so he’ll have his number, and they make pleasant conversation while Harry finishes up his lunch, making Louis all the more excited for their proper, official date tomorrow.  When Harry gets up to throw out his trash, saying he’s unfortunately got to head off to work, they walk in step with each other, and even though Louis knows he’ll see him again tomorrow, he still doesn’t want to leave.

“It was really nice to meet you today,” Harry says as they stand near the counter, starting to inch toward the door, and Louis really doesn’t want to go.

“Yeah, ‘m very glad you ordered that stupid cookie, and ‘m very excited for our date.”  The word tastes sweet on his tongue as he says it, and Harry grins, brighter than the sun.

“Me too,” he laughs.  “Very thankful for that terribly named cookie.  Text me with where and when to meet?”

Louis nods.  “Of course.”

Harry smiles, stepping toward the counter where Liam has now taken over Louis’ shift, greeting Harry with a wave.  “Um, can I have the monster nut cookie, please?”

Louis looks at him in confusion, laughing a bit.  “Was it really that good, Curly?  Gotta take one for the road, then, hm?”

Harry just shakes his head, cheeks dimpling as he tells Louis, “No, this monster nut’s on _me._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are the most appreciated!
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://mytinylou.tumblr.com)! And the fic post is [here](http://mytinylou.tumblr.com/post/149586381666/need-a-little-sweetness-in-my-life-by-scagnetism) :)


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